letters
TO THE EDITOR
A CHALLENGE
In response to the comments of Don
MacQueen, made on 3/24. He asks if
the writers of previous commentary
“understood that they were attacking the
basic economic system of our country?”
Then asks us to give serious thought
to the idea of abandoning capitalism,
maintaining that a change could
bring dire consequences such as “the
drastic curtailing of present economic
motivations” and “the instituting of severe
population curbs.”
I challenge Don MacQueen to watch
the Oscar-winning documentary, An
Inside Job, and then ask yourself whether
unregulated capitalism is still the best
economic system of choice. As the fi lm
shows us, once again, this new generation
of “robber barons” have demonstrated that
unregulated “laize faire” capitalism gives
license to unbridled greed. Greed on such
a scale that our fi nancial institutions have
made our brand of capitalism responsible
for a global economic crash so devastating
that millions of people world wide have
lost their hold on any chance of escaping
poverty. So much for supporting the
“present economic motivations.”
Here in this country, the middle class
complain about high taxes while billions
of the government bailout money was
paid out in bonuses these rich cats who
systematically defrauded investors and
borrowers alike. The rest of us, including
our children’s generation, have been left
holding the bag while they sail away
with their booty like the pirates they are.
The only problem is, they haven’t sailed
away. They are still here, running our
government, corrupting everything any of
us hold dear about our democracy, trying
to convince us all with the latest market
numbers, to be greedy (or just desperate)
enough to get back into their rigged game.
Perhaps you would dismiss Shannon
Wilson’s comments (same issue) as a
Utopian dream, but he is right, other
countries around the world have been
experimenting with hybrid forms of
socialist/capitalist
economies
with
growing success; a diffi cult thing to do
when the global economy keeps trying
to suck you in to the “Help the fi lthy
rich get richer” game. Meanwhile, the
ever-growing chasm between rich and
poor worldwide is sparking revolutions
all over the Arab world, leading to the
kind of instability that has us engaging
our military to oust a brutal dictator that
would rather slaughter the people of Libya
than give them a chance to make better
lives for themselves.
You maintain that “economic systems
tend to come in packages,” but do they
have to? Personally, I think we human
beings can learn to think outside the
package.
M. Gabrielle Legault
Eugene
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The Lane Peace Center Presents...
Pioneer Quilters Present
Water For Life
rom privatiza
s f
tio
ce
n.
r
ou
A Flowering
of Quilts
Honoring
our member
Martha Allwander
M
R
tect our w
Pro
ate
r
s
Featuring:
Winnemen Wintu Chief
Callen Sisk-Franco
s
t.
igh
Lane Community College
Longhouse
a fundraising event
r is a H
Wate
um
an
April 15th, 2011
All li
fe
is
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Not For Profit
One.
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e a
W
The 35th Annual Unbroken Thread
Quilt Show
April 9 - 17, 2011
A
10:00 - 11:30am - ‘Water and Indigenous Rights
1:00 - 2:30 PM – ‘Water Justice: Local and Regional’
6:00 - 9:30 PM - ‘Water for Life, Not for Profit’
Hours
Admission
Tuesday - Saturday 10-4
Sunday 12-4
Closed Monday April 11
Adults $5
Children $4
Weekly Pass $10
Members Free
Presenters:
Tie Dye and Tofu will be clos
ed April 6-17.
Caleen Sisk-Franco: Winnemem Wintu Chief, ‘Return of the Sacred Salmon’
Mark Franco: Winnemem Headman, ‘The Shasta Dam: Where is Justice for the
This exhibit runs
17
through September
2011
Winnemem Wintu’
Agnes Baker Pilgrim:
International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmoth-
ers, on ‘The Sacredness of Water’
At the fairgrounds
740 W. 13th Avenue, Eugene
Open Tuesday-Saturday
10am-4pm.
Debbie Davis: On ‘Water Privatization and Social Justice’
Teresa Huntsinger: On ‘Water and Justice in Oregon’
Mayor Kitty Piercy: ‘Water Issues in Eugene and Lane County’
Janet Essley: Artist, Presents ‘Daughters of the Earth’
Suggested Donation: $10
No one turned away for lack of funds. Students Free
For program details visit: www.lanecc.edu/peacecenter
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EUGENE WEEKLY APRIL 7, 2011 7